What are the natural sources, benefits, and daily recommended intake levels of caffeine?

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Caffeine is a naturally occurring alkaloid in about 60 plant species. Of these, cocoa beans, kola nuts, tea leaves, and coffee beans are the most well-known sources of caffeine. Other natural sources of caffeine include yerba maté, guarana berries, guayusa, and the yaupon holly. Caffeine can have both positive and negative health effects. It can treat and prevent premature infant breathing disorders like bronchopulmonary dysplasia of prematurity and apnea of prematurity.

Caffeine citrate is on the WHO (World Health Organization) model list of essential medicines. It may confer a modest protective effect against some diseases, including Parkinson's disease, and certain types of cancer. One meta-analysis concluded that cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and stroke are less likely to occur if one takes three to five cups of non-decaffeinated coffee a day but is more likely to occur if one takes over five cups a day.

Some people experience insomnia or sleep disruption if they consume caffeine, especially during the evening hours, but others show little disturbance. Evidence of a risk during pregnancy is equivocal; some authorities recommend that pregnant women should limit consumption to about two cups of coffee per day or even less. Caffeine can produce a mild form of drug dependence which can be associated with withdrawal symptoms like sleepiness, headache, and irritability when an individual stops taking caffeine after repeated daily intake. Tolerance to the autonomic effects of increased blood pressure and heart rate, and increased urine output, develops with chronic use (that is, these symptoms become less pronounced or do not occur following consistent use) of caffeine.

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